In a concerning turn of events, measles cases worldwide have witnessed an 18% surge in 2022 compared to the previous year, as revealed by a joint report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tragically, the number of deaths has spiked by 43%, reaching a grim total of 136,000, predominantly affecting children.
The report highlights a persistent threat to global health, with 37 countries grappling with large or disruptive measles outbreaks in 2022, a notable increase from the 22 countries in 2021. Of these, 28 were situated in the WHO Region for Africa, six in the Eastern Mediterranean, two in Southeast Asia, and one in the European Region.
John Vertefeuille, Director of CDC’s Global Immunization Division, expressed his concern, stating, "The increase in measles outbreaks and deaths is staggering but unfortunately not unexpected given the declining vaccination rates we’ve seen in the past few years. Measles cases anywhere pose a risk to all countries and communities where people are under-vaccinated. Urgent, targeted efforts are critical to prevent measles disease and deaths."
While there was a modest increase in global vaccination coverage in 2022, with 83% receiving the first dose and 74% the second, these rates fall significantly below the recommended 95% coverage necessary to shield communities from outbreaks. Shockingly, 33 million children missed a measles vaccine dose, comprising nearly 22 million for the first dose and an additional 11 million for the second.
Low-income countries, where the risk of death from measles is highest, continue to face alarming vaccination deficits, with only a 66% coverage rate. The lack of recovery in measles vaccine coverage in these countries following the pandemic is a cause for concern.
Kate O’Brien, WHO Director for Immunization, Vaccine, and Biologicals, emphasized the urgency of action: "Measles is called the inequity virus for a good reason. It is the disease that will find and attack those who aren’t protected. Children everywhere have the right to be protected by the lifesaving measles vaccine, no matter where they live."
Both the CDC and WHO are urging countries to intensify efforts in vaccinating all children against measles and other preventable diseases. They also call upon global stakeholders to assist countries in vaccinating their most vulnerable communities. Additionally, to curb future outbreaks, global health partners at all levels are urged to invest in robust surveillance systems and outbreak response capacity for the swift detection and containment of outbreaks.
CDC and WHO are founding members of the Measles & Rubella Partnership (M&RP), a global initiative to stop measles and rubella
